


A Web with a Thousand Radiations

by Quipxotic



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Bad People Doing Normal Things, F/M, Ficlet, Ficlet Collection, M/M, Organized Crime, Work In Progress, bad people doing bad things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-22
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 10:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8621776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quipxotic/pseuds/Quipxotic
Summary: New York, London, Paris - three bustling cities at the turn of a new century and each home to a new criminal enterprise that seeks nothing less than to engulf the world.Ficlets about Moriarty’s crime family set in a steampunk version of Elementary.





	1. Difference of Opinion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sanguinity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanguinity/gifts).



“I do not need a body guard, Sebastian.”

“Says who?”

“I say so and since I am the one paying you, and paying you rather well I might add, it is my opinion you will listen to.”

Sebastian Moran frowned but said nothing for a few minutes. Finally, he couldn’t contain himself any longer. “It’s just, some blokes aren’t as open-minded as me and they might…”

Moriarty interrupted him by laughing. She laughed for a long time, laughed so hard in fact that she had to put out a hand to steady herself against the nearby wall. “Open-minded?” she asked once she had caught her breath. “Oh my dear Moran, that is hilarious. Perhaps you should be on the stage instead of me?” Today she was Irene Adler, opera singer from New Jersey dressed in expensive green silks, but she was always Jamie Moriarty underneath. 

“Like they’d want someone with a mug like mine,” Sebastian grumbled. “I’ve a face for the trenches or the boxing ring.”

“And you’ve excelled in both. I know, Colonel Moran, I did my research before I hired you.” She came to stand in front of him, dwarfed by his size but clearly in command. “I have been in this business for most of my life. I am well aware of what most men think of my gender and I have used that arrogant, willful ignorance to my advantage on many occasions. Besides which,” she pulled a gun out of a concealed pocket in her voluminous dress and placed it underneath his chin, “I am always armed. Does that make you feel better, Sebastian?” As she spoke, she pushed the muzzle of the gun upward so that it forced his head back.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes and leaned into the gun. He’d have a mark there for a while. “It’ll do… ma’am.”

Moriarty frowned and pushed harder.

“It’ll do…boss?” 

She wrinkled her nose and relented, removing the gun but still holding it by her side. “Yes, that _will_ do, Moran. Now, speaking of work, I will have a list of names for you by tomorrow night. I want you to make sure that each person on that list dies exactly when I say they are to die - I’ve timed several of them to the minute. Use the same methods as before.”

“My equipment…”

“Will be waiting in your rooms later today. Payment will be made after each kill, as per the usual arrangements.” The corner of her mouth quirked up. “Anything else, Sebastian?”

“No,” he grinned back at her, “just tell me when I can get to work.”


	2. A Journey of Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a memorable trip to England, Daniel Gottlieb meets someone who will drastically change his life.

Daniel Gottlieb had two options for getting to England: dirigible or steamliner. If he had been traveling for pleasure he might have taken the dirigible, the opportunity to explore the engineering behind it was a strong temptation. But the weather over the Atlantic Ocean was unpredictable, so he settled on the more reliable option of the steamliner. It was a work trip after all, but that didn’t mean there weren’t other things to interest him during the journey. 

By the time the ship reached England, four people had died. The first had a heart attack, but the man had complained loudly about his heart troubles since the beginning of the voyage so no one thought anything of it. The second was a crewman who was knocked overboard by faulty equipment; he drowned before help could reach him. Then several crew and passengers got sick from a mysterious illness; while most recovered given time and rest, one young woman succumbed in her sleep. The last was a child who’d been fascinated by the mechanisms that made the ship run. Somehow the boy had gotten past the crew of the now under-manned ship and stood a bit too close to the gears. 

Understandably the mood onboard was grim as they approached the docks. Some were even whispering that the ship was cursed. Gottlieb said nothing when other passengers discussed the possibility, but then he was a quiet, self-contained man who spent hours writing mathematical equations in a small notebook he always carried. Inwardly he was thrilled. The journey had given him ample time to test out a few new theories in his own private exploration of the most perfect and untraceable ways to get away with murder. 

Once the ship was anchored, Gottlieb gathered his luggage and walked down the ramp onto the docks. He looked eagerly through the crowd as he walked. By profession he was an engineer and he’d been hired by a shipping company to find new ways to improve their systems. The company’s owner had arranged to meet him at the docks to take him to a hotel where he was to have lodgings at the company’s expense during his stay. Making the arrangements had required a good deal of correspondence for a month or two beforehand, and Gottlieb had found himself intrigued by his new employer’s obvious intelligence and good humor. 

Stepping clear of the crowd, Gottlieb noticed that a well-dressed man in a suit seemed to be watching him. The man smiled when he noticed his interest and, taking off his hat, extended a hand. “Mr. Daniel Gottlieb, I presume? I am John Douglas and I’m very happy to make your acquaintance.” 

Gottlieb didn’t react immediately because he was too busy staring. Mr. Douglas was very attractive, Gottlieb would even go so far as to say that the man was striking. After a few moments, he realized he was being rude and scrambled to shake the other man’s hand. “Yes…I am Gottlieb. I am so very glad to meet you at last, Mr. Douglas.” 

If Douglas noticed the gaffe he didn’t show it, in fact his grin widened. “Let me help with your bags. I will take you to the hotel first and then, if you aren’t too tired from your travels, perhaps a brief tour of the company’s facilities and equipment? Afterwards, I have taken the liberty of making dinner arrangements for us. I find it helpful to discuss work in a more relaxed setting. Unless you have other plans?” Douglas looked down at him expectantly.

“No, I have no other plans,” Gottlieb replied hurriedly. “That sounds like a delightful way to spend the afternoon and evening.”

Douglas took one of the bags from him and tilted his head toward a waiting carriage. “Good. No doubt we will find several topics to discuss and, hopefully, a good many things in common.” He grinned again. “Welcome to London, Mr. Gottlieb. I hope you will enjoy your stay.”

“I am quite sure I will,” Gottlieb replied as he hurried to follow the taller man to the carriage.

**Author's Note:**

> Usually I blame amindamazed for getting me into these things, but this time it's all sanguinarysanguinity's fault.


End file.
